Ink jet recording head and method of producing a plate member for an ink jet recording head

Abstract

A plate member constituting a channel unit of an ink jet recording head has a metal plate which is produced by rolling an etchable material, and a polymer film which is laminated onto one face of the metal plate. The long side is perpendicular to the rolling direction of the metal plate. Warpage which easily occurs in the longitudinal direction is suppressed by the rigidity which is large in a direction perpendicular to the rolling direction.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An ink jet recording head comprising a nozzle opening, a pressure generating chamber, a reservoir, and an ink supply port, at least one of said pressure generating chamber and said reservoir being sealed by a plate member which is partly elastically deformable, wherein 
       said plate member is constructed by a substantially rectangular base member in which an elastic plate that can be elastically deformed by an external pressure, and that has an ink resistance, and a rolled metal plate that is produced by rolling an etchable metal material are laminated with each other, and a longitudinal direction of said base member is perpendicular to a rolling direction of said rolled metal plate.  
     
     
       2. An ink jet recording head according to  claim 1 , wherein said elastic plate includes a polymer film. 
     
     
       3. An ink jet recording head according to  claim 1 , wherein said elastic plate includes a polymer film which is annealed before said elastic plate is laminated with said rolled metal plate. 
     
     
       4. An ink jet recording head according to  claim 1 , wherein said elastic plate includes a metal plate that can be elastically deformed by an external pressure, and that has an ink resistance, and is laminated with said rolled metal plate via an adhesive agent layer. 
     
     
       5. An ink jet recording head comprising: a channel unit having a nozzle opening, a pressure generating chamber, a reservoir, an ink supply port, said channel unit being sealed by a plate member having an island portion which is opposed to said pressure generating chamber, and a diaphragm portion; and a piezoelectric vibrator which abuts against said island portion to eject an ink droplet, wherein 
       said plate member is constructed by a substantially rectangular base member in which an elastic plate that can be elastically deformed by a displacement of said piezoelectric vibrator, and that has an ink resistance, and a rolled metal plate that is produced by rolling an etchable metal material are laminated with each other, and a longitudinal direction of said base member is perpendicular to a rolling direction of said rolled metal plate.  
     
     
       6. An ink jet recording head according to  claim 5 , wherein said elastic plate includes a polymer film. 
     
     
       7. An ink jet recording head according to  claim 5 , wherein said elastic plate includes a polymer film which is annealed before said elastic plate is laminated with said rolled metal plate. 
     
     
       8. An ink jet recording head according to  claim 5 , wherein said elastic plate includes a metal plate that can be elastically deformed by an external pressure, and that has an ink resistance, and is laminated with said rolled metal plate via an adhesive agent layer. 
     
     
       9. An ink jet recording head according to  claim 5 , wherein said rolled metal plate is etched so as to form said island portion. 
     
     
       10. An ink jet recording head according to  claim 9 , wherein said elastic plate is placed on a face which is opposed to said reservoir, and said rolled metal plate is formed by etching away a region which is opposed to said reservoir. 
     
     
       11. An ink jet recording head according to  claim 5 , wherein said diaphragm portion is formed by etching away said rolled metal plate in a region which is opposed to said reservoir. 
     
     
       12. An ink jet recording head according to  claim 5 , wherein a plurality of said island portions are arranged in a direction parallel to said longitudinal direction. 
     
     
       13. An ink jet recording head according to  claim 5 , wherein a plurality of said island portions are arranged in a direction perpendicular to said longitudinal direction. 
     
     
       14. An ink jet recording head according to  claim 5 , comprising at least four rows of said island portions arranged in a direction parallel to a longer side of said plate member, the island portions of each row being arranged in a direction parallel to a shorter side of said plate member, said longer side of said plate member being perpendicular to said rolling direction. 
     
     
       15. An ink jet recording head according to  claim 5 , comprising at least two rows of said island portions arranged in a direction parallel to a shorter side of said plate member, each row comprising a plurality of said island portions arranged in a direction parallel to a longer side of said plate member, said longer side of said plate member being perpendicular to said rolling direction. 
     
     
       16. An ink jet recording head comprising a channel unit and a plurality of actuator units, said channel unit being constructed by laminating a nozzle plate in which a nozzle opening is formed, a reservoir forming substrate in which a communication hole forming a reservoir is opened, and a plate member which seals another face of said reservoir to form an ink channel between said reservoir and said actuator units, and which functions as an attachment member for said actuator units, each of said actuator units being constructed by sequentially laminating a sealing substrate, a pressure generating chamber forming substrate, and a diaphragm and being fixed to a surface of said plate member of said channel unit, wherein 
       said plate member is constructed by a substantially rectangular base member in which an elastic plate that can be elastically deformed by a pressure in said reservoir, and that has an ink resistance, and a rolled metal plate that is produced by rolling an etchable metal material are laminated with each other, and said actuator units are arranged in a direction which is perpendicular to a rolling direction of said rolled metal plate.  
     
     
       17. An ink jet recording head according to  claim 16 , wherein said elastic plate includes a polymer film. 
     
     
       18. An ink jet recording head according to  claim 16 , wherein said elastic plate includes a polymer film which is annealed before said elastic plate is laminated with said rolled metal plate. 
     
     
       19. An ink jet recording head according to  claim 16 , wherein said elastic plate includes a metal plate that can be elastically deformed by an external pressure, and that has an ink resistance, and is laminated with said rolled metal plate via an adhesive agent layer. 
     
     
       20. An ink jet recording head according to  claim 16 , wherein said rolled metal plate is etched so as to form a compliance portion in said reservoir. 
     
     
       21. A plate member adapted to form a part of a channel unit of an ink jet recording head, said plate member having a rolled metal plate and an elastic plate laminated on said rolled metal plate, and being substantially in the form of a rectangle having a first side and a second side shorter than said first side, a rolling direction of said rolled metal plate extending substantially parallel to said second side. 
     
     
       22. A plate member according to  claim 21 , wherein at least one row of island portions are provided in said plate member, each of said island portions is surrounded by an exposed part of said elastic plate. 
     
     
       23. A plate member according to  claim 22 , wherein said row extends in a direction parallel to said second side. 
     
     
       24. A plate member according to  claim 22 , wherein said row extends in a direction perpendicular to said second side. 
     
     
       25. A plate member according to  claim 22 , wherein at least four rows of said island portions are arranged in a direction parallel to a longer side of said plate member, the island portions of each row being arranged in a direction parallel to a shorter side of said plate member, said longer side of said plate member being perpendicular to said rolling direction. 
     
     
       26. A plate member according to  claim 22 , wherein at least two rows of said island portions are arranged in a direction parallel to a shorter side of said plate member, each row comprising a plurality of said island portions arranged in a direction parallel to a longer side of said plate member, said longer side of said plate member being perpendicular to said rolling direction. 
     
     
       27. A plate member according to  claim 21 , wherein at least one diaphragm portion is provided in said plate member by an exposed part of said elastic plate. 
     
     
       28. A plate member according to  claim 27 , wherein said diaphragm portion elongates in a direction parallel to said second side. 
     
     
       29. A plate member according to  claim 27 , wherein said diaphragm portion elongates in a direction perpendicular to said second side. 
     
     
       30. A plate member according to  claim 21 , wherein at least one row of compliance applying portions are provided in said plate member by exposed part of said elastic plate, and said row extends in a direction parallel to said first side.